Banfield Pet Hospital review: ruin my perfect credit history! 66

I also had a Banfield Boulder health plan. I began to notice a pattern: whenever I came in for "covered" procedures I was told my pet needed numerous other procedures, often with total costs in the upper hundreds. The third time this happened I took my pet in to another vet for a second opinion and was told in no uncertain terms these procedures were unnecessary. Essentially, I had been scammed.

I have had several problems with Banfield Hospital also, #1168 in Louisville, KY. Staff goes from a hostile argumentative attitude, price gouging and errors in scheduling, to providing uneducated medical advice regarding pet care. When the vet is personally confronted, she/he appears to be looking through a tunnel at these problems from another country, boldly casting the full blame on her unhealthy staff. According to a representative at the Banfield Headquarters, each hospital is owned and managed by the vet/doctor. Who would believe a caring health care provider/owner/manager would allow unprofessional practices in her facility, that is unless he/she is as manipulative as her/his staff? This same person recommends unnecessary surgeries not covered by the plan as a means to increase Banfield revenues, despite neither thought of the health and pain to pet or the extra cost to the client.

Money Banfield claims that members are saving could be used at another facility to pay for a whole year of surgeries, vaccinations, and preventatives for a year.

While in the plan, my pet had severe diarrhea thank God the visit was included in the plan though treating this problem was not and the cost was extreme. On another occasion, I urgently needed my pet seen, her/his staff casually informed me “she/he will be in surgery” all day, and this was the case on any day convenient for me to take him.

I asked to be dropped from the plan and the cost would be $600.00, though my pet had not received all of his vaccinations. Because of the financial loss to drop out, I was forced to remain in the Banfield Wellness Plan. Exploitation of trusting, unsuspecting clients to join the plan is a criterion met by Banfield staff to increase their profits regardless of the well-being of pets. Banfied wants you to put your money where other clients have put their money, in the Banfield Hospitals, the care of pets come second.

I have alerted the Better Business Office about Banfield Hospital’s unprofessional business practices and sent a copy to the Petsmart Headquarters.

I had a similar experience with the Banfield Animal Hospital (it's a joke that it's called a hospital) in Braintree, MA.

From their deceptions and unlawful billing practices, sketchy veterinarian who pushes services and expanded plans, botched surgeries, animals sent home still lifeless and under the influence of anesthesia, and a group of rude and incompetent front desk people who also act as assistants to the vet during surgery, I was forced to pay an inflated bill because my bank account was not debited by them for two months and instead of alerting me to the problem, they put me into collection. I have worked hard to maintain a very good credit rating and, like you, didn't want that ruined by this highly suspect "hospital".

My intention is to leaflet outside their store to warn people about their business practices. Also, when I tried to cancel I was told I needed to put it in writing 30 days in advance. Well, they didn't tell me that when I called to cancel and claimed that it was my responsibility to read the contract. If you go online you will see many other people have been ripped off or worse (their animals have been harmed or killed) by this horrible corporation (veterinarian owned like a franchise like Dunkin Donuts or something).
Please do not go there and certainly do not sign up for the Wellness Plan.

I agree. I have been a loyal client for 9 years until now. Yesterday when we truly needed the Banfield Team, they betrayed us. My dog got into antifreeze yesterday and before we took her in, we called the vet to let them know we were coming. They told us to come in, and so we did. It took us 18 minutes to get there and when we do we are told "The vet left on an emergency." and we were referred to another vet. I call today to complain that we were told to come in and then the vet left and I find out, the "emergency" was the vet's lunch hour. So, if he knew that he had this situation coming in, why did he choose to take his lunch at that time? Why not wait until he saw the animal and then take his lunch? I have had their Optimum Wellness plan for 9 years and I feel betrayed. We are considering sueing this branch. Please do not take your pet to Banfield. Especially the Medford, OR branch.

My problems have been with the Louisville, KY

Banfield, store #1168. I would not recommend the Banfield Wellness Plan to anyone because it is a big rip-off.

Practically as soon as you walk in the door the so called “assistants” will tell you about their wonderful Wellness plan for your pet. After you have signed on the dotted line and become unhappy with the care of your pet or the uneducated staff at Banfield and want to discontinue the wellness plan, you are out of luck they have your signature and there is no escape.

Here are a few things that the Banfield staff fail to mention to you before you sign their contract.

They don’t tell you that the vet owns Banfield and she/he makes all decisions. They would like for you to believe that if you have a complaint that you can refer to the “corporate” office, what a joke.

You cannot terminate after your year is up without giving them a letter 30 days prior to your expiration date otherwise they will continue withdrawing money from your checking account and you will be stuck for another year.

Another “small” detail that they fail to mention is that there is a penalty for early terminations even if you never see the vet again you are expected to pay for the entire year.

When the vet is unavailable, guess who jumps into action without proper paperwork, you’ve got it, “The Assistants”. These little “want to be” girls will try to make suggestions regarding your pet’s health.

I’ve made appointments for my pet to see the vet and the assistants failed to call to inform me that the vet would not be available at the time I was schedule. Once I get there the “play” vets jump into action with their unprofessional suggestions and comments.

They don’t tell you that there may be extra out of pocket cost for anything concerning your pets care. They make you believe that your monthly payment will cover it all... don't let your pet get sick then the blood suckers come out.

The vet will make excuses for her/his assistant’s lack of knowledge or unqualified suggestions and errors.

I’ve taken my pet to see the vet for a problem and the next thing I know we’re talking about blood work and test after test that will run me bankrupt. Banfield people play on the senses of their clients.

They do not plan to return any money to you regardless. I suspect that you would get more respect from the “assistants” if you only took your pet there on a walk-in basis rather than being on the plan. You would play the normal office visit (which would be a lot higher) and may never go back which they can't be sure of. If you are on the plan, you continue paying, month after month so they can treat you anyway they want because they know you have no recourse. From the vet to her/his assistants, they all need personal relations training.

I highly recommend anyone who has had bad experiences and negative feedback from the vet at the Banfield you’ve gone to is to inform the Better Business Bureau. Rather than to pay and complain you must “act”.

We recently had a similar billing problem with this Banfield pet hospital. My wife took our dog in for some well-care work and we didn't get a bill from them. A year later we still had never received a bill or a phone call from them. Suddenly, we get a letter from collections. Now we are told we must pay 30 additional dollars to pay the collections service fee or our credit will be dinged. That really bothers me. No bill was ever sent to us; we shouldn't have to pay the extra 30 bucks. They refused to pull the bill from collections so we are forced to pay up or take the credit hit. I will tell everyone I know of this experience and may hand out flyers outside their office.

I hate this place dont go there if u really love ur pets!

If you're in need of a Vet, your greatest bet is to go to a place that "really", quoting Banfield, " treat their pets like a part of their family"... cause "Banfield" isn't the place.

Posted below is the letter I just sent Banfield. One point I forgot to mention in my letter to them and I will note now: not only did the Vet prescribe the wrong med for my pet's whipworm - -she didn't even know he was "fixed" despite having taken him in the back for a "thorough" exam"!

I have had it ! The incompetence of your team at the Banfield facility in Savannah, Georgia has caused me hours - into months of aggravation! I resent their callousness, incompetence, and general inability to handle anything!

I took out two "policies" on my pets last August. One pet moved to Dallas, Texas with my daughter and one stayed with me. Both my daughter and myself have experienced the above complaints. My daughter was a bit smarter than me and stopped going to Banfield in Dallas, Texas back in January because the appropriate tests were not ordered for her pet - TWICE ; once she took her pet to another vet - the appropriate tests were ordered and treatment was initiated! Had she stayed with Banfield - her pet would now have permanent kidney damage!

In my case, my first very adverse experience with your Savannah, Georgia team was ~3-4 months ago. I begged and cajoled them to cancel my contract and they refused. I had bought some meds from Banfield and paid with my credit card. Turns out the girl wrote down the wrong numbers and charged the wrong amount to my credit card. ((Something like the bill was $84 but she wrote 48). Anyway, I just signed and went on my way. In fact, I went on vacation for two weeks.

When I returned, there were no less than 12 (yes - a dozen!) calls from Banfield chastising me that I owed them money! They called so often that my voice mailbox filled up and no one else could leave me a message. I missed many important calls bc of their audacity! and their error!) Then, in April 2007, I had another bad experience. The vet diagnosed "whipworm" but handled everything incorrectly and even ordered the wrong heartworm medicine. I found this out by researching the Web! I will compliment Dr. Trammell in getting back to me and answering my concerns.

This latest experience is just too much ! I REFUSE to have anything to do with Banfield !

Since Banfield does not carry the medicine appropriate for "Whipworm" I ordered it thru 1-800-PetMeds. It's been close to 2/12 weeks - - and still no med from PEtMeds. So... I call them and they state they can't get a script from Banfield. I call Banfield (Savannah, Ga) and after 23" on hold and talking to 2 different people, I get told there is a "script fee" that must be paid. I went ballistic! First, no one ever told me this!

Second, you hold up urgent medicine for a pet b/c of this fee? Outrageous! And to cap it all off: the fee applies to meds that could be bought at Banfield but the owner chooses to buy elsewhere. Why is it I had to teach the incompetent Banfield girl that the med I havebeen waiting for is NOT carried by Banfield which is why I went to PetMeds? She acted like I was an idiot and she was the gracious one and proceeded to tell me she would "waive" it this time but I should be reminded that in the future I would need to pay this fee. Well... go to HELL!

How dare you people treat me - and my pet - this way!? I cannot believe the audacity! They can call my home 12 times looking for money but can't call about this medicine REQUIRED for my pet's health. Again, HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO SOMEONE?!

Effective immediately : CANCEL MY CONTRACTS! I WILL NOT PAY ANOTHER PENNY TO SUCH AN INCOMPETENT TEAM OF PEOPLE!

In fact, I believe you owe me for the 5 months my Dallas pet has not returned to your facilities (Jan to present) and the 2 months that I have paid for my Savannah pet.

I agree whole heartedly with all complaints listed here. Unfortunately the Banfield "Hospital"s appear not to care, otherwise results from an investigation(s) to these allegations would be posted. The only way to stop the "Banfield Hospital's" exploitation is NOT BUY INTO THEIR WELLNESS PLAN or USE THEIR VET SERVICES. ACTION speaks louder than WORDS. HURT THEM FINANCIALLY, they will be forced to lower their prices, develop a sense morality, practice honesty with their customers or close their doors. The USA is a free country, we have freedom of speech... tell everyone about their bad business practices. It's put up or shut up time!

I just realized Banfield continued to deduct money from my account although I told them I would not return to their facility in no uncertain terms upon my last visit with them. They now refuse to stop charging me and refuse to return any monies. This is the biggest racket I have ever come across. It is soley for getting the most money out of the consumers as opposed to the best health care for the pets.

I for one am contacting my attorney to address the issue with them.

I also had a terrible experience with Banfield Pet Hospital. I took my 10 month old brittany spaniel in to get spayed. The Vet opened up my dog to do the procedure and then immediately had to stop the spay procedure because the Vet determine my dog was pregnant. I was charged $308.50 for the procedure that didn't happen, and to top it off the pregnancy test came back negative and then I had to bring her back to get x-ray done to see what was going on. No charge for the x-ray and my dog was NOT pregnant, and now if I wanted them to do the spay procedure, they will charge me again. I will NEVER recommend them to anyone. This happen in San Leandro, CA Hospital #0055. I also make a complaint to the corporate office of Banfield with no result.

I have been a team member with Banfield for over 7 years and have found that being such a large practice you are bound to be seen as large and uncaring. However, I will tell you that I have worked with many very caring and devoted individuals for the act of being an advacate for the pets. You may think that being a pet advocate is what a pet owner would want, but that is so far from the truth. Most pet owners feel that we must give away services to care and that being a fair organization that charges for our services so we can offer the best and consistent care to all is wrong. I see so many people that get clouded by cost and truly do not do what is best for their pets and then bring in their pets in bad condition and beyond repair for the price they want to pay if a price can even offer the proper care since some pets arrive to us in so disrepair that all we can do is try with all our hearts to save them. I see neglect in over 50% of all the patients I see and educating owners is the best we can do to hope they do what is right and when they do not like the truth they turn on us like many of the clients listed on this website. Think about what you can do... think of your responsibilities to your pet, your family, and to yourself and stop the tradition of neglect that we see in this field of caring for animals. It gets hard to be treated with such disrespect from people who neglect their pets through ignorance.

I have been totally ripped off by Banfield at least I am fortunate not to have been coerced into the wellness plan. However they do try to get you in for exams and vaccine you don't need. My dog was given a rabies shot today which should be good for three years they told it is good only for one year. He was over due for his shot according to the receptionist. It is true his last shot was in June 15, 2004. I took him into a Banfield clinic in Colorado. I was told it was a federal mandated law that all dogs late for their rabies shot can only be vaccinated for one year. This is not true. Colorado doesn't require a one year rabies after the first rabies shot. From then on, they are to vaccinated every three years. Also I am very angry because it is same vaccine as the three year vaccine. This is a total waste of my hard earned money and not to mention my time and not good for my dog.

I do not want my dog to receive unnecessary vaccines.

After reading hundreds of complaints about Banfield, I decided NOT to go to work for them as a Veterinary Technician.

A little advice to those who have been scammed by their wellness plan. The odds are good that there are more people in your area who have also been scammed. The two things an organization like Banfield would probably fear are publicity and a class action lawsuit.

All staff of the Banfield in Louisville, KY #1186, including the vet, is insensitive, cold and callous to pets and their owners. The incompetence of the staff and vet.

Banfield is clearly among the top, if not the top rip off pet care facility of all times. They go from poor pet care, price gouging, to deceitfulness. I doubt there would be a Banfield Hospital’s without their wellness plan, this keeps their doors open. Think you’re getting a good deal, that you can take your pet for immediate, good health care because of being in a wellness plan, then think again. The Banfield Wellness Plan is designed to deceive. Think of the words, “WELLNESS PLAN”. One think of a health care plan that promote keeping pets well and as a member you get services tied to the plan that keeps your pet well. Most pet owners take their pet to the vet once, maybe twice a year…..so what happens to the monthly fee deducted from your checking account. In truth, it’s a gift, free money, if you will, the Banfield Hospital’s does very little or nothing most of year for your pet. Pet owners do not mind paying for medicine if needed, but don’t expect to pay for unnecessary tests. The so called “Banfield Hospital “discount” is not a discount at all. The so called “discount” is what customers should actually pay since they are paying them monthly and their actual charge should be written off as a discount.

Notice that the vet never ring up charges, this to prevent from being sited as a thief, she/he prefers that their staff be criticized. My last words are BANFIELD HOSPITAL’S ARE RIP OFF’S, THEY ARE INCOMPETENT, and BOTH STAFF AND THE VET.

Banfield is a rip off... I am beginning the stages to file a civil complaint/law suit against this company. In order to be considered, you must have dates and costs on paper of all visits for your pet. If you have a second opinion from another vet that will be very beneficial. Please state only facts in your email. I understand your pet is your family and there are emotions involved, however in order to get an attorney and file complaints, we need the facts only!

If you are not complaining against banfield or do not have records, please refrain from sending emails to this account. All negative or threatening emails will be tracked and prosecuted to the fullest extent the law will allow.

This is for information purposes only: in your email, please include the following: state all facts, dates and names and the store number, address, facility ID etc. If you have a timeline of all your contact with the Banfield facility, that will help also. If you have all your vet bills, medical records etc, please state that you do and provide your contact information. Please give me 72 hours to give a confirmation email and atleast 7-10 days to contact you! I will email updates at least once a month on the progress of our complaint. If anyone knows of a lawsuit already in progress please provide some information!

Too many animals have died or become sick in the care of Banfield. It's time something is done about it!

This morning, I took my kitten in for surgery (neutering & declawing). While filling out paperwork, I overheard a staff member yelling at barking dogs. She actually said "shut up" in a very loud, harsh tone. When I asked the receptionist who the person was she said the Director of PetNursing. I asked to speak to the director. I told her her behavior was totally unacceptable to she said "if you had to listen to them bark all day, you would do the same thing." I called the corporate office and they were less than empathetic. Any suggestions?

Banfield Hospital
Duluth, GA

Director of PetNursing: Laura Johnston
Don't go there... EVER!

I have had our 3 dogs on Banfields Wellness Plan for 9 years and was disgusted to be told that after one of my dogs had to be put down that I still have to pay for the rest of the years premiums on her. First of all my dog had been sick for a while. I had regularly brought her back when they told me to, thinking that they were doing everything they could for her. I was told by another vet I took her to for a second opinion that they aren't sure what is wrong but that there are other tests that should be done that Banfield didn't do and that she is very sick. I feel that Banfield should have told me right away about the other tests even if they don't run those tests. I also think that once your dog is no longer living that there should allow you to opt out of that plan. We will be removing our other 2 dogs from the plan just as soon as the contract expires. I hope this helps others realize how heartless they are and makes them think twice before signing up there dogs or cats.

Banfield Pet Hospital Clovis, Ca

DON'T LET YOUR DOG OR CAT GO THERE.

My intention here is to help other people avoid the mistake I made yesterday in visiting a Banfield location in Buford, GA. I moved two months ago and needed to bring my dog to a vet primarily to have the incontinence medication she has been on re-prescribed. This is what happened:

Despite having current bloodwork for the dog from another state, Banfield insisted that they could not prescribe any meds for my dog without doing their own bloodwork. It was a state law, they said. At first, this sounded reasonable to me. I wouldn't want a location prescribing to my dog just because I asked them to, so I made an appointment to bring her in for what I expected to be a basic exam and blood work.

I was there with my pet for 2 1/2 hours yesterday. Not ony did they order up bloodwork I have never seen, but they also took her out of the room to draw her blood. This was not suspicious to me until just a little while ago, when I realized that - unlike every other time she has ever had blood drawn - she was not licking her leg at the sight of the venipuncture. I'm convinced that they did not draw blood on her at all, but have no proof because they took her out of the room, and came back with a host of 'results' to tell me about.

In addition to this, every time they returned to the office, to see me, the bill was steadily increasing, to the point that I felt that all I could do was order their wellness plan - what a joke, wellness. HUGE mistake. I'm now stuck with this plan for a year and will never bring my dog back there again. They ended my visit telling me there is something wrong with my healthy, normal behaving dog's liver, and that she needs an ultrasound and further testing. Mind you, she is ten. If I can avoid having her aneshtesized unnecessarily and put through any extra trauma, that's all I want to do. I will be going to another vet and consulting my old vet before I do one more thing to treat my dog. And I will never bring her near a Banfield location again. I'd treat her at home myself first with nothing but my love.

I have read some horror stories on line today about people that have actually lost their pets to these hairless, manipulative vultures who prey on the sympathies of pet lovers. Please, I implore anyone who is reading this not to use these people. I'm one of the lucky ones, all I'm losing is a relatively small amount of money to these clowns. I feel so sorry for those who have written and lost pets because of these demons.

Please, don't use these people.

Lawrenceville, GA

I have a cat that is 10 years old and had to take her to Banfield in Clearwater, Florida on Saturday 8/18/2007. She was not eating or drinking and since all of the recent scares about pet foods I thought she was maybe having kidney failure. They wanted to do bloodwork x-rays a barium work up at a cost of around $1500 which is totally outrageous. I agreed to the bloodwork which cost me $400 and was not in the room when they drew the blood. She was so freaked out they had to sedate her with Telazol which added to my bill and they told me the bloodwork was perfect but they suspected she had some sort of mass or blockage in her intestines so did an enema to clean her out. I love my pet but I think they are taking advantage of people with these outrageous prices to find out what is wrong so I have her at home now to live out her last days without putting her through any further tests just lots of love. These people are heartless. They say they treat you like family. That is crap. They don't care about anything but how much money they can suck out of you when you are in a vulnerable state and your emotions are affected.I asked for the number to the corporate office and basically was told they would be glad to give it to me but if I had a complaint it would go to the Banfield that I took the pet to so what is the point.If you love your pet don't take it to these crooks. Clearwater, Florida.

Let me start by saying that I am so sorry to hear that so many people and their pets have been hurt by Banfield Hospital - my heart goes out to you. I am very glad that I found this and spent the time to read through everyone's posts regarding their experiences with Banfield Hospital.

A few months ago we rescued 3 six week old kittens. They developed a bad case of ear mites and we suspected ticks as well in the ear canal. I called our vet (that we use for our 2 dogs) and I was quoted a huge fee per kitten. My wife, meanwhile, called a Banfield Hospital nearby and they quoted a substantially less fee per kitten. In fact, Banfield told us to just bring in one kitten, they will examine him (office visit cost) and take a blood sample. So we did. The vet thoroughly examined our kitten (including as far into the ear canal as humanely possible) and drew the blood. Ear mites yes, ticks no. At no time was our kitten out of our sight. The vet then prescribed two treatment solutions (which, I cannot remember off the top of my head) and told us to treat all three kittens with them. The actual cost of the visit, services and prescriptions were spot on with the quote. We were very pleased (and yes, all three kittens are doing perfectly well). I must also add that all the staff was very professional and courteous. They did, of course, try to sell us on the Wellness Plan, but, we declined. With this said, however, it is coming time for the cats to be spayed, neutered and front declawed.

We will not be using a Banfield Hospital for this - we will use our same vet we use for our two dogs (we only go to AAHA members, and, after moving last year, I thoroughly interviewed many vet practices that were only on the AAHA member list). After reading these posts, I am scared to death of what might happen and would rather pay a higher cost to our vet that I spent a lot of time researching and interviewing.

What follows is advice that I offer that I personally use and adhere to after decades of having many cats and dogs.

For all the cats and dogs that I have had I have never had blood work results finished at the time of an office visit (unless it was a parasite check). They were usually ready the next day. Banfield Hospital is not an AAHA member for any of the cities and towns I have checked. Only bring your pet to an AAHA member hospital.

Before selecting a vet or a hospital for your pet:
1. Call the candidate establishments and ask about the vets:
a. Names
b. Years in practice
c. Are they partners in the practice?
d. Education - degrees, where, when and do they do continuing education.
2. Make an appointment to interview at least one of the vets in the practice (if they don't want to do this or tell you that they don't allow this, you don't want them as your vet; any respectable vet and establishment - especially an AAHA member - will have no problem with this):
3. For the interview (be prepared to take notes):
a. Come without your pet and show up a little early.
b. Observe the facility for:
1) cleanliness
2) organization, mannerisms and behaviors of the assistants
c. Confirm with the interviewing vet:
1) Their education
2) Years in practice
3) Background information on their partners, other vets in the practice and assistants.
d. Inform the potential vet of any current problems or concerns with your pet and see what they say, especially if you already know some of the answers).
e. Take a tour of the establishment.
f. If you just moved to a new state, ask the potential vet and assistants what the state law requires for vaccinations and the like (yes, ask both a vet and an assistant - their answers should align). Have them provide you with a written cost breakdown structure of all vaccinations your pet requires by law and those that are optional (every vet will recommend even the optional ones). In the case of the optional vaccinations, ask! Ask what it is, why it is optional, what benefit(s) it provides, etc.
g. Verify that if you go with this vet and establishment, that they will provide back to you any paperwork on the history of your pet back to you after they get that information into their system and/or files.
i. Ask the vet about emergency care for your pet: specifically when you call them during their business hours and have an emergency situation for your vet; find out how they will react in this situation (be direct). These days, there are emergency clinic hospitals for pets open on a 24/7 basis; if you do not know the location and phone number to the one nearest you, find out!

Above all, and I cannot stress this enough, learn everything that you can about the proper care of your pet. I know that we all try to do this. Proper health care for our pets is expensive. Cost is always a factor, but, PLEASE do not let it be the primary factor where ever possible! A respectable establishment will have no problem letting you make payments on a monthly basis for expensive procedures (although, sometimes, you need to establish a history with the vet).

When it comes to "pet insurance" type of plans I have never enrolled any pets of mine in one. I have thought about it over the years, but, after very careful consideration, I simply concluded that our finances and pets are better served by saving a fixed amount of money per month per pet for routine vaccinations and emergency care. Now, if you do... get it all in writing; everything. Do not sign a thing, take it all home and review it, carefully. If the place or plan administrator gives your grief over this, then you just simply do not bother with it and walk away. Make a copy of all the paperwork for your review and highlight and annotate anything that sticks out or is questionable. Formulate questions on that review and follow up on those questions by posing them to the establishment or plan administrator. If you are not sure, take it to an AAHA vet or call up AAHA themselves for advice.

Also be sure to look up one of the country's best and finest pet hospitals by the University of Pennsylvania; Small Animal Hospital (Ryan): http://www.vet.upenn.edu/ryan/; Large Animal Hospital (Widener): http://www.vet.upenn.edu/widener/ They absolutely care and are on the cutting edge of all pet care.

I am sorry to hear the problems people have faced at Banfield. I am Team Member of a Louisville Hospital of over 4 years I have seen Banfield save alot of Pet's lives. We strive of nothing but the best in Pet Healthcare. We want our Pet's to live healthy LONG lives. This is what the Wellness Plans are here for, no they do not cover emergency care that is why they are called WELLNESS PLANS. We offer much more for the Pets than other traditional vets I know I have worked in the Vet field for over 12 years in both emergency medicine and routine clinics. I feel Banfield has the best quality medicine for the price. And yes the wellness plan does discount emergencies. There are over 600 Banfields so yes there is going to be those who aren't happy with services they received but who hasn't been unhappy when something unexpected has happened and you have to pay for it. I have the upmost respect for the doctors I work with. They have to figure out what is wrong with something that can't tell you a thing. Brave getting scratched, bitten, urinated and pooped on daily. Not to mention trying to fix your Pet for near nothing. What people fail to see is that the same procedures you would have done at the hospital for you are the same for your Pets. And the main difference is it's alot cheaper in the Vet field. Think about how much you would pay for x-rays, bloodwork,hospitalization, and meds if you didn't have insurance. And now think how much we ask you to pay. When it all comes down to it the money is the thing most people complain about not the good quality care your Pet receives at one of our Hospitals. And for those Pet owners that don't think of their Pets as a member of the family but a disposable thing you can discard of and replace tomarrow then Banfield is NOT the place for you. Our team is devoted to the best care for your Pets and the best education to Pet owners.

Until a month ago I had the greatest little pure breed pug dog in the world. He was 3 yrs old and his name was sir zeusaphus. We took him everywhere--grand canyon, Malibu, fresno, everyday was schedule around our little boy. He had a bad eye, a bump and had a cough recently so we took him to the ban field in Pasadena California. We took him on the 5th, 8th, 11th and 17th and he passed away on the 18th. the doctor kept calling an infection of what was really a fungus. the doctor refused to test his numerous bumps as he said they were from the infection and that is how they found the fungus. We even suggested a test and he said it wouldn't be necessary. They found the fungus on the 17th which was obviously too late. The worst part of the whole ordeal is that when I brought him back in(after sobbing all day) to get cremated the office manager asked us to pay the rest of the wellness plan because our benefits were more than the cost of the plan----wow! Needless to say, i am currently in contact with a lawyer about the ordeal and i will never go to ban field or pet smart again.

I will say Banfield is an excellent hospital to work for,I work for Banfield in Hamilton,Oh and it is the best hospital I have ever w worked at.We have 2 doctors that are here for the pets and their clients only.They do not diagnose anything that is not necessary for the pets. They are both caring and compassionate doctors,please do not let what you read from one person be the reason that you will not try Banfiled.I can honestly say that I would not work anywhere else,I have worked in other hospitals before,and Banfiled has the state of the art technology that they have in all of the other larger hospitals,we are all here for the care of your pets,and we will do everything we can to keep them healthy.We do more than just spay and neuter pets,we do alot of other surgeries, and we are very competent in doing so.

Being a certified vet tech,and the DPN at the Banfield hospital in Hamilton,Oh I must say that Banfield is one of the best hospitals I have ever worked at,they have state of the art technology that all other larger hospitals have. They care for the clients as well as the pets and do not take advantage of them.I feel that the wellness plans are very good for healthy pets.The clients need to be told all of the information about the plans and they need to read everything before they sign them. I work for 2 very good doctors who are totally committed to the health of the pets they see, and they would never take advantage of the clients,and do any unnecessary treatments.Please give Banfield a chance and talk to other people who go there,all of the hospitals are there for the clients and the pets. I must say that I have worked for 2 other doctors, and I will never go anywhere else to work other than Banfield.

Banfield, Murrieta CA has nothing but a bunch of incompetent idiots disguised as vet techs, nurses and vets. Dr. Tina Shorter milked me out of approx $600 in treatment, tests and medications for my dog who has a lump (now two) on her neck. Now I know why she insisted on medications/continued tests and treatment! She doesn't perform surgeries - she could not ever remove the lumps! After ripping me off, she finally admitted she lied and isn't comfortable (qualified is the best word) to perform the lumpectomy and referred me to another vet outside of Banfield! After all this, I rec'd a certified letter yesterday telling me that they have decided to dump me! What nerve. The HQ won't answer any questions - I can't even get the "owner's" name. I need a lawyer and plan to sue these jerks.

Well, all I have to say regarding all this nonsense complaints is that sometimes people hear that they want to hear. To those complaining about the Wellness Plans I have to say that if you don't know what you're signing up for ,then don't do it! I have heard many times people call these Wellness Plans "Insurance" or "Health care". IT IS NOT. It is a package of services that helps pet owners pay for preventive care services such as vaccines, deworming, blood screenings, regular office visits, even spay and neuter. So that means if you're pet gets sick it is not going to cover and you only get a discount on services that are not part of the plan. Also the plan is NON TRANSFERABLE to other pets or owners. This says clearly on the Wellness Plan contract. Now if people don't read the contract then I don't know what to tell you. The workers should go over the contract before the client signs it, and if the client has any questions it is the client's responsibility to let the client service coordinator know. These Wellness Plans are similar to a credit card, you max out your balance you pay it. If you want to cancel then you pay for the remaining balance due. Now, insurance work different. Some insurances can be canceled any time. To make this short, just make sure you understand what you're getting yourself into. Don't just assume. I've also heard people saying that Banfield charges way too much for services. 1st of all no one is forced to go to Banfield as no one is forced to due the services that they recommend. If you don't want to get the services done. Then don't get them. Is that easy. I couldn't believe when I was reading some of these comments. Some people saying that Banfield is evil and all these horrible things. I know people who work for Banfiled and they have pets of their own and also take their pets there. Now about that comment stating that Banfield was evil and this and that, if that was true why would real pet owners work for that company? It just does not make sense. I could go on and on and on about this whole issue, but the truth is that Banfield has done great things for my pets and many others. My pet was pregnant with 5 pups, at the time of the delivery we noticed there was one missing, so we rushed to the closest vet. Banfield. There they took good care of my baby and her pups. She went into surgery that same day and saved the pup that was stuck inside of her. Yes, it was expensive, but my pet's wellbeing is priceless. I am a current customer with Banfield and will always be.

I need to post a concern about Banfield too. I try not to complain too much and I realize that veterinary costs can be quite expensive. Plus, there are many veterinarians out there who care so much about what they do. And there are probably owners of pets who don't always realize how much a responsibility they can be.

But I need to add to the complaints here because of what happened when I visited Banfield right before Christmas. I noticed my cat had a skin issue that hadn't been there before. It worried me because the year before at almost the same time I had an elderly cat of over 18 years, who passed away. My problem this time was my cat's regular veterinarian was not open because of the holidays. Banfield was one of the only places I could take him to, so I did.

I can honestly say everyone was mostly friendly. The setting felt a littlte impersonal, but my cat's regular vet is basically a smaller setting and such, simply what I prefer. So I can't really make an issue about that. My issue was the doctor, though caring, seemed to focus on other things than what I brought my cat in for, at first. Then when she did focus on the skin issue, she had no clear cut answers, but seemed maybe concerned. I don't know for sure, but that was the impression I got. Still, she didn't really give me any answers. They did some tests and gave me medication that worked very well on his skin. Then they told me they would be in touch when the results came back.

Okay, the next day they called me to see how he was doing. I appreciated that. I have to say though I didn't realize they were required to follow up with a call. I did realize it after someone from Banfield called me to ask survey questions about how my experience was. At the time I thought it was mostly positive, though I had no intention of bringing my cat back there. He already had a veterinarian that he seems comfortable with and so am I. I asked the survey person to please notify the hospital because I still hadn't received any results.

Beginning of January, still nothing. I called and they asked me who the doctor was. I thought it was kind of weird they don't have that in their records because they typed in other information into their records about me and my cat. Anyway, I was told the doctor would give me a call when they had the results.

Now yesterday, more than one entire month later, I call them again and insist on finding out what is going on. My cat's health is fine, but I still didn't know if he had anything contagious like ringworm, or if he had some bad skin condition that caused the redness. I didn't know, my cat was already due for his annual appointment and I wasn't sure what to tell his regular veterinarian. So finally I'm told, oh yes, the test is negative. I let them know there was more than one test. They tell me...oh yes, they all were negative. I ask why didn't anyone call me. I get the answer the nurse was supposed to call me, and that they're sorry.

Okay, first they told me the doctor, then it's the nurse...feels very disorganized to me the answers I'm getting. I let them know that the way they treated this was not okay. I don't know if it mattered to them, but it mattered to me. I had to pay a lot, and no, I did not get the wellness plan, and I'm glad I didn't. It was quite a fee, and yet I paid it because my main concern was for my cat. And no one called me...ever...to let me know the results. I had to call them...twice. No word ever from the doctor or the nurse.

I won't be going back. I honestly thought a big place like that would be more affordable, but I think the small practice my cat goes too is actually more affordable...and more importantly, organized and caring.

I'm sorry, but anyone thinking of taking their pet to the San Leandro, CA, Banfield, I caution you about taking your pet there. The slogan...'treating them like family'... no... my pet was not treated like family. If he was, they would have called me when they were supposed to. I want to make clear too, this is not really about money, though of course that's a concern. I"m just upset that they never contacted me like they were supposed to. That shows me they didn't really care. It was a bit impersonal, but everyone was nice enough, and I know big places can be like that. They had a lot of pets coming in that day. What upset me is they didn't bother to let me know that my cat was okay. I was the one who had to keep calling back to finally get answers. I just don't think that's right.

Simply put, Banfield's charges are ridiculous. I signed up for one of the wellness plans two months ago and have spent roughly $1000 since, for two reasons. One is that, aside from the vaccines covered by the plan, none of the services my dog needed were covered. The second is that Banfield apparently charges for EVERY LITTLE THING, which makes that "savings" total at the bottom of your bill seem great until you actually look at it. For instance, they charge for things that normally would be included in an annual vet visit; $25 for a "neurological exam," which is basically looking into my dog's eyes for two seconds (I didn't have to pay that, as it was covered by the plan; whew! Honestly, I have never, ever been charged for this at any vet, so I didn't really "save" it, either), similar situation for all other "exams" that make it look like I've saved a ton (dental, etc.). $20 to "clean/flush" a wound (one small hotspot on my dog's leg), $25 to express her anal glands -- both of which would be included in a regular vet visit for around $40-50 TOTAL.

Today, she had to get x-rays to see if/why her stomach was blocked. This cost $300 for the x-ray stuff alone, including almost $100 in "interpretation" (look at it for a minute!), and $40 each for positioning/restraint (my dog is THE calmest in the world) and handling! Are you kidding me?!? It's your job to handle animals! And this afternoon, I've checked with two other hospitals in the area, who do the entire x-ray package for $100 (up to 4 exposures). After this was done, they sent me to an emergency vet because they didn't have the stomach tube needed to decompress my dog's stomach. Thank you very much, Banfield!

I've read a lot about staff incompetencies and attitudes, so I will say that the staff at the Towson, MD, branch is great. They've been very nice, genuine, and helpful. They just happen to work for a racket of a corporation that takes advantage of loving pet owners who would pay anything for their pets if they had to (and they convince you that you have to), while under the guise of treating you and your pet like family.

Long story short, avoid Banfield and stick with your locally-owned vets! You'll save money, heartache, and frustration, while giving your business to the people who do, actually, give a ###.

I have just recently joined the banfield team and I have to admit I'm really impressed. I have worked for several veterinarians and Banfield's standards are much higher than other hospitals. We have to do things by the book, no shortcuts (something I had to get used to since it is acceptable almost everywhere else). The additionl traingin provided is excellant, banfield has a whole library of information for it's nurses accessable with one click.

The Wellness Plans are designed as an option for affordable preventative care, intended for healthy pet's. The 2 Comprehensive exams far more in depth than regular exams. In a regular exam you don't get the neurological or rectal exams. A regular exam just encompasses the basics eyes, ears, mouth, lymphnodes, skin, reproductive system. There are stipulations to the plan, I like to tell client's to treat it more like a credit card than insurance, the Wellness plan is not insurance. If you Pet gets sick, your office visit is covered but any tests and medication is not though you do get a discount on the plan.

Unlike humans, your Pets cannot tell us what's wrong or where it hurts. Basically every diagnosis is a guess based on education and experiance. There are tests that will give you yes or no answer, but alot of the tme a test simply removes possability from a host of ideas as to what could be ailing the Pet.

In today's world everything has a price. This is true in veterinary medicine. It cost money to turn on the lights, run the washing machine, and use the water at home so why is a vet hospital supppossed to be differnt. Everyone knows medicaton is expensive, tests are expensive because materials used to run the tests adds up fast. Think of everthing you see used during your visit, all of it had to be bought and has to be paid for somehow. Now imagine how much materialis used behind the exam room door, needles, syrnges, gauze, anesthetics, suture material,disinfectants... the list goes on for miles and all of it comes at a cost.

There are over 600 Banfields, with over 2000 doctors and something like 4000 staff members. There will always be unhappy customer's, I urge you not to make a decision on a hospital as large as Banfield based on the complaints of a few. The care the paf surpasses care I have seen elsewhere.

i took my pet to the Banfield vet hospital in Richmond Calif. and had the most terrible experience. i will never go there again. They treated me and my dog like sh--!. they should be closed down.

I am writing to complain about Banfield Animal hospital in
Sarasota, Florida. We have 2 year Shih-Tzu dog Lucky. Today, April 9, at 10.00AM I took him for vaccination and license renewal. He was due for Rabies. In the papers I signed was written that Lucky is going t0 ready at 3.00 PM. At 12.45 PM i have been called by Banfield representative that Lucky is ready. On the way home the dog started choking and screaming. At home Lucky start trembling and his tongue become white. My wife is a nurse and she suspected that this a reaction to some of the vaccines. My wife called the hospital and we took the dog back, where they put him on intravenous system to normalize his blood pressure. Now I am upset because it was possible to avoid all this. First, the staff in your hospital was suppose to wait to see if any reaction after the vaccination. Second, they needed to tell me that not all vaccines are necessary.And not last - there was no need for the hospital staff to be so rude and arrogant with me. I presume that because Lucky is on wellness plan they are trying to make sure that every thing is done by the list to get the money from the insurance. We all love our pets so much so we are ready to do every thing for them. The problem is that the people from your hospital in Sarasota are using this to make business. Yes, you do business but there is also a moral value in your work. Last year Lucky got his stomach irritated and I took him to the vet at Banfield. They told me that he must stay for whole day and as a result I have been charged $500 for the service. Today they are also going to charge me, but for what? For their negligence and irresponsibility. By the way today I spend a little time and I read some of the complains for Banfield on Consumer Report's site. There is a long, long list of angry expressions. If you want returns for the quality of the services of Banfield take a time and read some of the complains. I am sorry that I didn't do this 2 years ago when I signed my dog for Banfield Pet Hospital. Today Banfield lost one more client. I am planning to find a good small pet hospital where I am sure they are going to take better care for my pet.

Banfield in Long Beach CA. has an incompetent veteranerian named Korinne Cavanagh who is probably not licensed. She diagnosed my dog with a broken femur and said he was in terrible pain (he was a homeless rescue dog who I adopted from a shelter a few months ago). She said she would get a vet with a specialty in orthopedic surgery to do the surgery and she would assist. She also said that she had to order a certain piece of equipment for the surgery. That was 6 weeks ago and she has not returned a single phone call. I've called about 15 times and left messages for her and the office manager - nobody has called me back. Banfield won't let me cancel the "wellness" plan. My animal is in pain - the vet won't respond and Banfield doesn't care. When I picked up my records from the clinic to bring to my new REAL vet, he said the records contained no real information, only fluff. I also noticed in my records that though my dog had only two actual vet appointments, it shows that we has 6 "miscellaneous office visits" - those office visits were to pick up medication - we never saw a vet. They pad their bills to try to show what a savings you're getting. If you want a healthy pet take them to a real vet - BANFIELD PRACTICES ANIMAL ABUSE.

This is the worst place ever! Please DO NOT TAKE YOUR PETS HERE! All they care about is getting your money, not caring for your pets! This "Petsmart" that has the "so called vets" Banfield, Pet Hospital in their store # is 0339, Jenson Beach, Fl. I had a very bad experience! Our pet rabbit, which of course is a family member, got this abscess on her cheek. Shes only 2 yrs. old. Anyway, of course this has to happen on late Saturday after all reg. vets are closed. Well our reg. vet was unreachable. I called "Petsmart" and asked if there was a vet on duty that was a rabbit specialist. The receptionist said yes! I bring my rabbit in. The vet? Said she has to be gassed to see what the mouth problem is and if its an abscess it will have to be removed. Well, I thought about it and noticed that the vet couldnt even get the insturment in the rabbits mouth to see what was wrong..This was a sign..! I declined the surgeryand said give me the antibotics she prescribed. She presc.136 mg of Baytril, tablets, which look like horse tablets to a rabbit.Banfield vet said that rabbit had to be operated on. Long story short. My reg. vet returned Monday. I took our rabbit to him and he said it was to much medication for a rabbit. He prescrb. 22.7 mg of Baytril, thats for an abscess, antibotic. I was so happy I made the correct decision. I was very angered at Banfield Hospitals because of this. I just want you people to know that I agree with all of you. I dont think that the vets have enough knowledge on certain animals. PLEASE BE CAREFUL!. Get to your reg. vet if at all possible. You could save your pet from trauma not needed. It may mean life or death for your pet. My rabbit is now doing ok, thanks to our reg. vet. If anyone needs a fantastic vet in Port Saint Lucie, Fl, please e-mail me I will give you a fantastic vet to go to.

Dont ever take your pets here!

Those of you who are complaining about having to pay for the wellness plans after a pet dies, runs away, or is given away...part of the problem is that you didn't do your job and READ THE CONTRACT...the other part is that Banfield making you pay for the whole year is YOUR choice. You have the option of paying RETAIL for the services ALREADY received...OR you can pay the rest of the year. It's that simple. Yes, it is also true that it's a pain in the butt to have to put it in writting 30 days before your wellness plan would expire, that you do want it cancelled...but then, where don't you have to let a business know that you wouldn't like something renewed automatically. Wellness plans ARE NOT INSURANCE OR A HEALTHCARE PLAN...it is a discounted package that the client CHOOSES to buy to help their pet. Sure u pay about $300 at the end of the ear...but seriously...where can you nueter/spay, get all required vaccines, get free office visits and exams, blood work, fecals, dewormers, heartworm tests, and so forth for UNDER $300.? $300 at a regular vet..or simply with out the wellness plan is way over 700.00...so before you go complaining about Banfield scamming you and not doing their jobs correctly, do yours as a client and read your contract, do some research, read the small print...or go somewhere else...

As a consumer dispute resolution counselor, here’s what I advise with regard to Banfield if you want to get resolution and possibly compensation for your Banfield billing and animal care experiences:

1. Join in on one of the THREE class action lawsuits that are being considered or in preparation against Banfield Pet Hospitals by going to the law firms’ websites and listing your complaints. Definition of a class action can be found at: http://www.claiminformation.com/classactions.htm The more people that sign-up, the greater the resolution and possibility that you’ll be compensated for your emotional distress down the road. The law firms are as follows:

http://www.schneiderwallace.com/PracticeAreas/ClassActions.htm
Once there clink on "Inquire About Your Potential Case" and fill out the online form giving specific details of your problems regarding Banfield. Please, make sure that you include either your phone number or send them an email on the link within the "Inquire" link.

http://www.price-law.com/CM/FSDP/PracticeCenter/Personal-Injury/Class-Actions.asp
Complete the online form outlining your experiences.

http://www.barronberry.com/CM/Custom/Contact.asp
Complete the online form outlining your experiences.

Please, make sure that you share your experiences regarding billing issues, pet care (or lack therefore of), names of staff, location of hospitals and if you've ever written to the corporate offices and if so, what was the response if any.

Remember, the more people that join the class action lawsuits, the greater the chances of resolution and restitution (financial compensation for your losses and emotional distress).

2. Go to www.ftc.gov (Federal Trade Commission) and file a very quick online complaint. Make sure that you give any contract numbers, names of staff, address of the hospital that you used, leave out unnecessary details and get to the point (short and sweet) and name the CEO as the contact person: Dr. Scott Campbell, CEO, Banfield, The Pet Hospital, 8000 NE Tillamook
Portland, OR 97213. The FTC will issue fines if they receive enough complaints.

3. Google your state’s Governor’s Office or Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Affairs and file a complaint. Most will allow you to do this online. It’s quick and easy just include specific names, addresses, dates, details of problems (short and to the point) contract numbers, if any, and your contact information. Consumer Affairs will

4. Contact the American Association of Veterinary State Boards by calling [protected] or http://www.aavsb.org/ContactUs/ContactUs.aspx and ask them for the website, phone number and/or address for the regulatory board for your state, then file a complaint against Banfield’s license in that state.

5. Write directly to the CEO of Banfield (or at least print and copy all of your complaints to all of the agencies above and mail a copy to: Dr. Scott Campbell, CEO, Banfield, The Pet Hospital, 8000 NE Tillamook Portland, OR 97213 Phone [protected] Fax [protected] email: scott.campbell@banfield.net

6. Post these instructions on as every complaint forum and website mentioning Banfield that you can find on Google.

7. Remember there’s strength in numbers. If you’re not going to take the time to file a complaint then don’t take the time to post a complaint. Change only comes through efforts to make change.

To those of you who have said Banfield practices top notch veterinary care, and "this is true veterinary medicine" - you are either corporate stooges or you are ignorant. Banfield will let ANYONE be a "pet nurse." They do not have any requirements that a person be licensed to be a "pet nurse' (which is a vet tech) or that they even necessarily have prior experience. That is MIND-BLOWINGLY DANGEROUS.

The vets themselves are probably a mixed bag, but I've heard about a lot of truly awful ones there. And how can you practice good medicine with all that corporate pressure to sell, sell, sell and get the highest profit margin possible? The web boards that have the inside scoop from employees tell the story- staff at Banfield -- the ones who are conscietious -- feel abused. It's all about corporate.

I would not go there unless there were no other options. But the most outrageous part of all is the unqualified pet nurse stuff. Unbefreakinlievable. Would you want to be in a hospital that hired high school kids or fresh-outs at near minimum wage as "nurses"? Yeh, let the kids give you your meds. Monitor your anesthesia. etc etc. What dangerous practices!

Ok I'm reading over many of these complaints and I realize that everyone has an opinion, but honestly, some of these things could have been avoided by the customer. I have worked for many vets and have noticed that clients can't always be happy. Until you see it first hand, it is always easier to say that the vet is only wanting money or that you dn't think they know what they are talking about. Going to a vet is just like going to the doctor. You have to pay for all the costs of the materials and even a little extra because vets and there employees do not do this for free. Tests always have to be run because it is impossible to look at you and say this is what's wrong. Any medical diagnosis (vet or human doctor) is basically an educated guess based on test results and past experiences of the doctor. If you people had read the contract you were signing a lot of the problems that you encountered could have been avoided. I know from experience that I would never put my pet on a "wellness plan" especially if it means signing a contract. To me, that just sends up red flags everywhere. If you were to take you "beloved" pet anywhere else there would not be a "wellness plan" and every little thing would cost you money. My pets mean so much more to me than getting the best deal. I would rather pay the costs to make sure they recieved the best care. To be completely honest, I have never seen a client leave a health consultation at a clinic that I have worked at and pay less than $75. It is just a fact of life...THINGS ARE EXPENSIVE! If you do not want to deal with the corporate BS then go to a normal vet office. There they have enough business that only do what they need to do and they don't have anyone behind them saying sell, sell, sell! And as for those who have exotic pets, if your vet is not available to see your pet and it is an emergency, DO NOT call a place that is only trying to make a profit and ask if they work on exotics because they will tell you yes no matter what! Instead try taking them to an emergency animal clinic. Those people see plenty of different cases and can more than likely handle what needs to be done.